Hand railing and mounting



May 13, 1958 J. B. SCHROER 2,834,621

HAND RAILING AND MOUNTING Filed June 6, 1956 INVENTOR J. B. SCHROER United States Pater if HAND RAILING AND MOUNTING John B. Schroer, Las Vegas, Nev.

Application June 6, 1956, Serial No. 589,702

8 Claims. (Cl. 287-64) This invention relates to buildings of various kinds and to accessories used in the construction and fitting thereof including those utilized for both their esthetic and functional efiects including fittings for the mounting of hand and guard rails which can be used in connection with fire escapes, cat walks, mezzanines, ramps and the like at a substantial saving in labor costs.

The invention relates more particularly to hand rails, whether in horizontal, inclined, or upright position, and to fittings by means of which hand rails may be erected and installed so that they have a finished ornamental appearance, and which hand rails and fittings are primarily of metal or the like material.

Considerable difirculty has been encountered in the mounting of hand rails especially where different parts were disposed in different angular positions, and this has been particularly true of the mounting of pipe type hand rails, intended to be ornamental as well as useful. in keeping with the times, hand rails and their mountings of mcdernistic appearance are more desirable than those of the older variety in which unsightly joints are plainly visible. Further, prior hand rails and their mountings were of limited use since they could not be angularly adjusted or adapted to provide a particularly desired appearance or effect. Also with prior structures frequently it was necessary to weld when installing which is undesirable and objectionable especially in certain areas Where welding may set off a reaction, as in'a chemical or assembly plant.

An object therefore of the invention is to provide a rail and mounting means of few parts, of simple and inexpensive construction, light weight, which can be readily manufactured, transported and instalied, and for the most part can be produced from standard stock items of finished and modernistic appearance, and of sufiicient versatility that they will fill extensive requirements of use, whether for horizontal, vertical or inclined application.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective illustrating one application of the invention;

Fig. 2, a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3, a perspective illustrating the invention installed.

Fig. 4, a perspective oi a fitting for making a 90 turn.

Fig. 5, a plan view of the structure of Figs. 1 and 4.

Briefly stated, the hand rail and fittings of the present invention comprise a pipe-type hand rail of the desired diameter and length, the ends of which are closed by end plugs held in place by means of set screws the outer portions of which do not project beyond the exterior surface of the hand rail. Each hand rail is mounted upon substantially cylindrical fittings each having a recess of a curvature corresponding to that of the surface of the hand rail with such cylindrical fitting provided with an opening for an attaching bolt which extends axiaily through the fitting into the hand rail. The cylindrical fitting is provided with a reduced extension which fits posts.

Ciff into a spacer fitting having an extremity corresponding to the external surface of the post on which the hand rail is mounted, the cylindrical fitting having an axial opening for the reception of a bolt which extends through the spacer fitting and into the upright supporting post thus securing the posts in assembled relation. Due to the complementary engagement of the cylindrical and spacer fittings and the axial connecting bolt, the cylindrical fitting may be rotated to any position to accommodate a hand rail at any desired angle.

With continued reference to the drawing, one or more pipe-type hand rails 10 of the desired diameter and length is adapted to be supported in any desired location by pipe-type posts or uprights 11, as for example, in a manner to provide. a hand rail for those ascending and descending steps 12.

The posts 11 are attached by flanged floor connectors 13 to a floor or base upon which the posts are mounted, screws 14 being employed for fastening the flanges 13 to the floor. The posts 11 may be connected to the flanges 13 in any desired manner, for example, by means of external threads 15 which are engaged by internal treads 16 on the floor connectors 13.

In order to support the hand rail 10 upon the posts or uprights 1'1, cylindrical fittings 1'7 are provided each having a recess with a curved wall. 18 which corresponds to the curvature of the exterior of the hand rail 10, such fitting 17 having a transverse fastener receiving recess 19 with an enlarged end portion 20 for the reception of a threaded fastening bolt.21 having a head 22 with a wrench socket 23. The threads of the bolt 21 engage similar threads 24 in the hand rail 10 for fastening the fitting and hand rail in assembled relation.

The fitting 17 is provided with an axial passage 25 having a reduced portion providing a shoulder 26 adjacent one end. A threaded bolt 27 having a head 28 with a'wrench socket 29 is adapted to be inserted in the axial passage of the fitting so that the head 28 fits against the shoulder 26 in the fitting. The shouldered fitting 17 is provided with a reduced extension 27 and between the fitting and the post is provided a saddle or spacer 28' composed of a section of pipe having a' squared end of an inside diameter of a size to pivotally receive the reduced extension 27" of the fitting. The opposite end of the spacer 28 is provided with a curved recess 29' corresponding to the external configuration of the post 11, and a bolt 27 is adapted to be inserted axially through the fitting 17 and the spacer 28' and with its threads engaging the threads 30 of the post 11 thereby securing the parts in assembled relation with the bolt 27 providing an axial pivot so that the fitting 17 may rotate to mount the hand rail at any desired angle.

The hand rails may be provided with end plugs or closures 31 held in place by set screws 32 engaged in threaded openings 33 in the hand rail. In like manner the posts may have caps or closures 34 held in place by set screws 35 engaged in threaded openings 36 in such the present structure provides for the mounting of hand rails at any desired angle with the minimum of effort.

Another way in which the basic idea of the invention can be used is illustrated in Fig. 5.. In this embodiment the post 11 with cap 34 is used to support a couple of horizontal rails 10 and 10. These rails rest upon and are connected to grooved fittings 17, one of which is connected by a saddle or spacer 28 and the other by a fitting 37 to the post 10.

The spacer or saddle 37 is similar to the spacer or saddle 28' but has a reduced edge 38 adapted to snugly engage the post 11 without interfering with the spacer 28'.

The spacer or saddle 37 is provided with a curved or fish- Itwill be understood from the foregoing that mouth extremity which forms the saddle which may snugly engage the post 11.

The parts are fastened together as in the preceding figures, although if desired the screw fasteners may be of the self tapping variety thereby eliminating tapping and materially reducing the labor cost of installation.

The invention lends itself to numerous applications such as for fire escapes, cat walks, mezzanines, ramps, guard rails, and the like with or without supporting posts and with rails disposed in any desired angle both vertically and horizontally. Likewise a substantial sa ing in labor costs is effectual as well as installation simplified and in addition the aesthetic effect and safety factor are enhanced.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination hand rail and mounting comprising supporting post structure, a pipe-type hand rail, a supporting fitting for mounting said rail on said post structure, said supporting fitting having a recess with a Wall corresponding to the external surface of said hand rail for receiving said hand rail therein, said supporting fitting having a reduced cylindrical extension providing a shoulder at one end, a spacer having a cylindrical recess at one end adapted to receive said reduced extension and to abut said shoulder and said spacer having its other end provided with a recess corresponding to the external surface of said supporting post structure for intimate engagement therewith, an axial connection between said supporting fitting said spacer and said supporting post structure uniting them in a manner that said supporting fitting may be rotated the desired angularity of the hand rail which it supports and to which it is attached.

2. A combination hand rail and mounting comprising supporting post structure, a pipe-type hand rail, a supporting fitting for mounting said rail on said post structure, said supporting fitting having a recess for receiving said hand rail therein, said supporting fitting having a reduced pivot portion at one end, a spacer having a recess at one end adapted to receive said pivot portion and said spacer having its other end of a configuration to intimately engage said supporting post structure, an axial connection between said supporting fitting spacer and supporting post structure uniting them in a manner that said supporting fitting may be rotated to correspond to the desired angularity of the hand rail which it supports and to which it is attached.

3. In combination a handrail, a supporting structure for said handrail comprising a fitting having a recess in which said handrail is adapted to be disposed, a second fitting mounting said first fitting, and means for fastening '4 said rail to said first fitting and for fastening said first and second fittings together and to a support.

4. A handrail, a supporting fitting for mounting said handrail, said supporting fitting having a recess for receiving said handrail, and means for pivota lly securing said supporting fitting to a support in a manner to permit different angular adjustments of said handrail during installation of the same.

5. A handrail, a supporting fitting for mounting said handrail, an attaching fitting for disposition between said supporting fitting and a support, and means pivotally connecting said fittings in a manner to permit relative rotation so that said handrail may be disposed in any desired position.

6. A structure for supporting a handrail alongside of a post in any desired angular relation, said supporting structure including a saddle for mounting on the side of. a post, a grooved member cooperating with the outer portion of the saddle member with the groove being of a size to receive the handrail with the handrail above the grooved member, said saddle and said grooved member being provided with communicating openings for the passage of a mounting screw, said post being provided with a threaded aperture for cooperation with the mounting screw whereby the mounting screw can be drawn tightly against the grooved member which in turn is drawn tightly against the saddle for maintaining the saddle and grooved member in fixed relation, said grooved member being provided with an aperture opening into the groove thereof whereby a rail securing screw can be threaded into a threaded aperture in a rail received in the groove to maintain said rail in fixed relation with respect to said grooved member whereby a rail can be supported on posts at desired elevations and with any degree of angularity by means of a single supporting structure thereby greatly reducing the parts required for the construction of a handrail.

7. The invention according to claim 6 in which the grooved member and the saddle member are provided with cooperating shouldered bearing surfaces for taking the load in shear thereby reducing the strain'on the mounting screw.

8. The invention according to claim 6 in which the rails and posts are hollow tubes and plugs are provided for the ends of the rails and posts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,546,332 Walters July 14, 1925 2,117,798 Gascoigne et al May 17, 1938 2,456,505 Hastings Dec. 14, 1948 2,517,959 Baldwin Aug. 8, 1950 OTHER REFERENCES 1,078,224 France Nov. 16, 1954 

